To Be Proud: Revamped

Chapter 67: Earth...Island?

~Bona~

The recovery from the skyship crash was all a blur. My body had gone numb from the shock, and my vision was clouded with a red sky and smoke clouds. I reached my hand over to my head to the best of my ability, holding it in an attempt to ease the throbbing pain and the loud ringing. Trying my best to keep balance, I struggled to get up and stand on my own feet. The world spun around me, forcing me to grab on to a nearby rock to steady myself. A voice called from behind me, and I glanced over at the remaining wreckage.

      "Thwok? Thwok!" I galloped over to what remained of the skyship, moving the large broken pieces out of the way. Once I removed a sizable chunk from the pile, I was able to uncover the source of the voice. "Thwok!"

      "Ona!" he cried, his voice wavering ever so slightly. His fur was a mess, splintered and ruffled in most places, and his body was uncontrollably shaking. "I'm stuhck. Hehlp me, pleahse!"

      "Don't worry. I got you." I glanced over Thwok, trying to see what was pinning him down. A large chunk of wood had fallen on his leg during the crash, trapping him, and from a glance it appeared too heavy to relocate. Grabbing the underside of the plank, I lifted it up just enough for Thwok to be able to escape. Once he had moved away, I let go of the heavy debris and rushed over to him.

      "Ona, ahe you ohkay?" he whimpered as I made my way to him. I studied Thwok, who had crawled away from the wreck and was sitting only a few feet from it. Rushing to his side and kneeling down to his level, I held his head in my hand. 

      "I'm fine. Are you okay?"

      "Mahybe. Lehg huhts a biht though." He removed a splinter from his tongue, shivering as he did so, and I took a moment to help Thwok to his feet. He winced, whimpering as he grabbed on to my rib for support, and I held him close to me.

      "It's going to be okay. I'm here, I'll help." Thwok nodded, glancing over at the ruin.

      "Is Kay gohing to be awlwight?"

      "I'm sure she will be. She's fire; she can burn right through that."

      "And Puhtite?"

      "Petite's always fine...miraculously." I glanced over at what was opposite the wreckage, and I had to physically stop my jaw from dropping.

      "Whell, at leahst we mahde it to Urth Island in one piece."

      "Earth...Island?" I turned Thwok towards the view, and he audibly gasped.

The size of the island itself was incomprehensible, almost impossible to wrap our heads around. Spanning a section of the perimeter were hundreds of wish torches, all of them glowing a brilliant blue rather than the vibrant orange we were used to. The entire island floor was lined with a fancy type of pathway that resembled tiles of molten lava. Large huts were methodically placed around the island, layered and alternating between each other to add both height and depth to the already mountainous settlement. Orange lighting flooded the walkways and alleys of the island through blazing lanterns, heavily contrasting with the bright blues of the surrounding torches as well as the village back on Cold Island. Large spikes rose from behind the huts, and within the center stood the dark eerie castle of the island. It seemed as if it was watching us with menacing red eyes, which caused me to shiver slightly.

      "Urth Island? Mohre lihke Urth Pawuhdihse!" Thwok held on to my hand, squeezing it to recover from the shock.

      "Is this...normal?"

      "Noht by any standahrds! This plahce...it had to have behn wecohnstwuhctehd."

      "Are you sure?"